This song plays at the very start of the movie showing the titles of the movie and a bewildered Dev Anand who played the role of Raju Guide – the protagonist of the movie who is released on parole from jail for his crime of forging the signature of his lover. Raju guide rescues Rosie (Wahida Rehaman) a dancer from a toxic marriage and he motivates her to follow her passion for dancing. She rises because of the constant motivation and backing of the protagonist.

The story of Guide is set in a small village with archaeological unexplored ruins which brings together three very different characters who are passionate about their vocations; an eccentric archaeologist Marco who cannot look beyond his work, and his beautiful wife who is an accomplished dancer but is frustrated and trapped in a loveless marriage and is forced to suppress her passion to dance and an adventurous and lively tourist guide Raju, who takes on the task helping Marco in exploring the pre-historic ruins (caves). Raju ends up as Rosie’s friend, confidante and guide.

In 1965 Guide became a path breaker movie in more ways than one. It is a film adapted from the English novel The Guide written by R K Narayan. Hindi films in the fifties and sixties were usually based on film scripts or stories adapted from Hindi, Bengali or Marathi literature. Rosie’s relationship with Raju starts on a note of sympathy and support and develops into love. A live-in relationship was unthinkable in the sixties and, Raju’s inner transformation in jail.

The song ‘wahan kaun hai tera’ in fact tells the story of the movie. The song is philosophical which conveys that this world is an illusion. According to cognitive scientists such as Donald Hoffman we are being tricked into believing our own reality. We all are seeing around us a   façade that guides our way around a far more complex and hidden background. We are all travellers in this beautiful yet wild world; each one experiences a different journey.  The song tells that traveller must rest under the shade for a few moments. Here the lyricist Shailendra perhaps wanted to emphasize taking a pause for rejuvenating and restarting the remaining travel. Pausing increases productivity, and pausing works miraculously. In your travel you will meet a lover, a companion, a guide, friends, partner, dependents, and enemies so on and forth. But nobody will cry for you in your sorrow.

I love one stanza in the song ‘kehete hai gyani, duniya hai paani, paani par likhi likhai’ earth is a watery planet because 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water. Whatever is written on water does not hold significance because the writing will never last as water keeps flowing. Nothing is permanent in life; name, fame, and fortune do not stay permanently. We come into the world empty-handed and leave empty-handed.  It’s 2022 and I still can’t get over S.D. Burman’s voice and Shailendra’s lyrics, it is one of the finest songs.

Raj Kapoor had an ear for music, he was one of the first filmmakers in Bombay to recognize Manna Dey’s versatile singing. You see, Manna Dey sang few soulful songs for the actor. It so happened that one of the most romantic songs from film Chori Chori ‘yeh raat bhigi bhigi’ was recorded in Manna’s voice because of two people: Raj Kapoor himself who plays the lead role in the movie and Shankar of the Shakar-Jaikishan duo. When the producer of the film arrived at RK Studios straight from the airport for the song recording, he demanded “where is Mukesh?” The Tamil producer Avichi V Meiyappan (AVM), had flown from Madras for the song recording and he insisted on Mukesh’s voice for the song as he felt that only Mukesh’s voice suited Raj Kapoor on screen. When AVM was told that for this song Manna Dey was going lend voice Meiyappan shook his head vigorously, saying loudly, ‘I want Mukesh.’  It took nearly an hour for Shanker and Raj to convince him that Manna Dey would do justice to the song. And, Manna Dey sang this song, which went on create history. It seems, after the recording of this duet, Meiyappan hugged Manna Dey and complimented him.

Manna Da never fit into the stereotypes: he sang for almost all heroes of the golden era. He was always ready to innovate; when you hear a song like ‘tu pyar ka sagar hai’ from film Seema, which is slow and has a sadder tone, you will be taken by surprise to hear a peppier song like ‘aao twist Karen’ from film Bhoot Bangla.  The film industry gave him sporadic opportunities to show case his range. He was known for his classical rendition. I feel the music directors dint tap into his intellect as singer, he remained an under-valued genius. Classically he was so strong that he could sing in songs which even singers like Rafi dint venture for. Manna Dey was truly a gem.

I list here below some of the great duet number of Manna Dey, hope you enjoy listening to them.

Yeh raat bheegi bheegi: Film: Chori-Chori (1956). This song has created a record of its own, sung by Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar. Music director: Shankar-Jaikishan

Saanjh dhali dil ki lagi thak chali pukarke: film: Kala Bazar (1960) it’s a beautiful duet Manna da sang with Asha Bhosale. Music Director: S.D.Burman

Na jaane kaahn tum the, na jaane kahan hum the: Film: Zindagi aur khwab (1961) song is sung by Manna Dey and Suman Kalyanpur. Music Director: Duttaram Wadkar

Mein tere pyaar mein kya, kya na bana dilbar: Film: Ziddi (1964) Singer: Manna Dey and Geeta Dutt. Music Director: S.D.Burman

Dil ki girah khol do, chup na baitho: Film: Raat aur din (1967) It’s a famous duet sung by Manna Dey and Lata Mangeshkar. Music Director: Shakar-Jaikishan

Beacause Manna da was a classically trained singer, he could twist his voice on higher and lower notations easily. On reflection, I feel that his voice could create an impact for any mood of the song. He could impart various emotions through his songs. Dey’s versatility was his strength. He was able to capture the essence of a folk tune or any other composition. He sang for many top Bollywood heroes of his time, but he never remained a constant voice for any actor in particular, unlike many of his contemporaries. He was a meticulous singer, he would often prepare extensively before rendering a song. The singer has given credit to Shankar-Jaikishan for understanding his depth as a singer. Some of his great solo numbers are:

Aye meri zohra zabin: Film Waqt (1965), Music Director: Ravi

Laga Chunari mein daag: Film: Dil hi to Hai (1963), Music Director: Roshan

Tere naina talaash kare jise: Film: Talash (1969) Music Director: S.D.Burman

Na mangoo sona chandi: Film Bobby (1973) Manna Dey and Shailendra Singh Music Director: Laxmikant Pyarelal

Hasne ki chaah ne kitna muze rulaya hai: Film: Avishkar(1974)  Music Director: Kanu Roy

 This romantic all time hit song from film Prem Pujari (1970) is written by poet Neeraj. It is a very well composed song and soulfully sung by Kishore Kumar. The song is themed on evergreen Dev Anand, like him the song is also evergreen. Though the film dint do great business at box office, the songs became super duper hits.

Prem Pujari is a 1970 Bollywood film produced, directed and written by Dev Anand under the banner of Navketan films. The movie stars Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Shatrughan Sinha, Prem Chopra, Madan Puri and Amrish Puri.  The music director is S. D. Burman. The songs are known for the purity of their lyrics, therefore regarded as “evergreen” classics.

This song is sung by Kishore Kumar with superb versatility. The song is romantic yet pensive in mood. Kishore Kumar had the knack of modulating his voice suitably for the actors. He was the voice of Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna and Amitabh Bacchan. I think because Kishore Kumar was not only a singer but also an actor, music director, movie director too, his versatility was found into various dimensions therefore he could adapt to the song’s different dimensions.

The song’s lyrics are really splendid and touch the heart. It’s yet another brilliant score of Sachin Dev Burman and Dev Anand. The song is composed mainly in Raga Pahadi and mixed with some other ragas. Pahadi is a popular raga based on folk music. As its name suggests, it originates from the mountainous region of Himalayas. It resembles two other ragas which exude the rich cultural heritage of folk music; one is Mand from the Rajasthan region and Pilu from the Hindi heartland. It is a light raga and resembles more like a ‘dhun’. It is popularly used in Hindi film songs. This raga can simulate multiple echoes; for example kora kagaz tha yeh man mera….mera….mera. Few other famous songs are from Humrz (1967) “nile gagan ke tale, dharati ka pyar pale’ and ‘parbatonke pedon par sham ka basera hai’ from Shagun (1964).

Pahadi is usually sung in the lower and middle octaves. The songs composed in Pahadi are usually having shades of tranquility and serenity. The songs composed in this raga have the power to unite separated lovers to achieve eternal union.

The lyrics of the song are penned by the genius Gopaldas Saxena ‘Neeraj’ (popularly known as Niraj or Neeraj). He is among the best-known poets and authors in Hindi literature. His style is considered unique; he used to write very poignant and yet, easy to understand poems. He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2007. This song is subtle and romantic; imagine writing letter to your loved one with ink of flower colors and pen of heart….

It’s worth noting from Satya Saran’s book on S.D.Burman titled ‘Sun Mere Bandhu Re’ that S.D. Burman was miffed with actor Dev Anand for spoiling a beautiful melody “Phoolon Ke Rang Se” from “Prem Pujari” by directing the song in an unappetizing manner. It seems S.D.Burman used to get terribly attached to his songs; he used to be concerned on how the songs were shot, their picturization etc. In short, he understood the meaning of scenes, so he was very angry with Dev Anand for spoiling this beautiful song with an unappealing picturisation.

Listen to this classy number.

The feel of this song is unmatched. It seems when this song was being recorded, R. D. Burman was crying profusely and beating his hand on the wall praising Kishore Kumar’s versatility for singing this song so soulfully. On screen, you see Jitendra simply dressed, with spectacles standing on the boat and rendering this great number; there is no romancing, no glamour, no heroine in the scene (except twice Sari-clad simply dressed Hema Malini is shown separately in different shots) the song is just shot on a boat, rowed by a boatman(mazi).

River has a magical beauty, and it lends itself to a variety of metaphors. Its timeless flow denotes jeevan ki dhara. The river plays an important role in the country side. The rivers mark boundaries of villages; and are usually meeting place of lovers. Rivers play a significant role in our life. We therefore see many songs with river themes. Also, river water can inspire, soothe, cuddle and calm a person. I think river water has a musical feel which great composers like S.D.Burman, Salil Chowdhary, Hemant Kumar, R.D.Burman, Kalyanji Anandaji and Bhupen Hazarika have captured in their songs.

This song is from film Kushboo, based on the Bengali novel “Panditmashai” by Sharat Chadra Chattopadhyay. The film was released in 1975, produced by Prasan Kapoor and directed by Gulzarsab. The film’s music was composed by the great R.D.Burman.

The genre of the song is “Bhatiyali folk song.” Bengal has a vast coastal land with long rivers and sea. Hence you will see many Bhatiyali songs sung by boatmen. S.D Burman used to say that Bhatiyali has its roots in earth, flowers, sky, and river. The notations of Bhatiyali songs, its words, and its pathos have an enchanting interpretation reminding the listeners of the river, and the journey by river. Bhatiyali’s mood and its passion are immersed in philosophies of life.

‘O mazi re’ song is written by Gulzar Sab. The song is about life’s unstoppable journey without a shore and an anchor. The river has eroded many shores which are now flowing with the river. Life is like a paper boat which flows directionless and it can’t reach any shore. The lyrics are awesome describing the solitude and yearning of the protagonist of the film Jitendra (Dr. Brindavan) who is separated from his childhood love Hema Malini (Kusum). He is married but loses his wife and is lonely.

The song is sung by Kishore Kumar and is has a magical hollow effect on the listeners.  It seems when this song was being recorded the people present for recording were so much moved by Kishore Kumar’s singing that most of them burst into tears like R.D.Burman did. Kishore Kumar’s voice full of twinge and pathos had that magic effect on them. R.D always said that though Kishore was an untrained singer, he was like a volcano of talent, who could improvise any song incredibly and he would provide vocal insights and expression beyond the composer’s imagination.

Watch this soulfully magical song and enjoy few stirring moments.

I am sure, like me many readers might be Dev Anand’s die-hard fans. Can Dev Anand be called the style icon? Yes certainly. In the 50s, 60s and 70s he brought in the fashion of scarves, mufflers and jackets and his signature puff which he imitated from his childhood idol Gregory Peck. He was a trendsetter and a guide, who gave an impetus to Bollywood fashion. On screen he personified serious and romantic roles with a penchant. His eyes spoke – he had the most expressive eyes that usually expressed more than words. Besides being a good looker Dev had the oodles of charm which left viewers spell bound!

He has the most memorable songs like Abhi na jao chodkar; koi son ke dlilwala, koi chandi ke dilwala, Jia o, Khoya khoya chand, aise to na dekho, tu kahan ye bata, arre yar mere tum bhi ho gazab, kahin bekhayal hoke, oh I can go on and on. Music was another facet of his films. He was lucky to have great singers rendering voice to him off screen and some of the great composers.

Some of the most popular Bollywood songs were filmed on him. Dev Anand’s association with music composers like – S. D. Burman and R. D. Burman, lyricists – Majrooh Sultanpuri, Neeraj, Shailendra and playback singer Mohammad Rafi and Kishore Kumar produced some of the best songs in the Bollywood history. Considering the fact that he was so full of life and bubbling with energy all the time, it doesn’t come as a surprise that the only film Dev Anand had a death scene in, was Guide. Dev Anand never went on funerals and never mourned anyone’s death. His philosophy about death was different.

Dev Anand had girls swooning over him. There was a time when female fans passionately started sending him letters in their blood especially after seeing him in a black suit. Such was his personality that he was warned or “banned” from wearing a black suit in public.

He preferred to look ahead, than looking back with nostalgia; in such a wonderful career that had milestones such as Baazi, Kala Pani, Kala Bazar, Paying Guest, Guide, Jewel Thief, Hum Dono , Teen Deviyan, Maya, Nau-Do-Gyarah  etc; this because he had the tireless energy and the genius to craft more and more films.

It is said that in the 50s and 60s, the day his films were released, colleges and universities used to wear an abandoned look. His hurried style of dialogue delivery, his enchanting smile and the frequent nodding of head became his unmatched style, what is called ada in Urdu. He romanced yesteryear’s bold and beautiful actresses; most of them have vouched him being a gentleman.

Dev Anand was spotted by Ashok Kumar, who gave him a lead role in Ziddi, a production of Bombay Talkies. Before this, he had acted opposite the famous singer- actress Suraiya in the 40s, but Suraiya’s popularity surpassed his talent – leaving him high and dry. But, his off-screen failed romance with Suraiya filled many gossip columns.

It was during his period of struggle that he came across Guru Dutt, and the two made a promise to each other, whosoever achieved success first, would help the other. And, the rest is history. In 1951 Guru Dutt made Baazi, starring Dev Anand and Geeta Bali. The film became a trend-setter in urban crime thrillers and was a hit. The film also introduced Kalpana Kartik, who became Dev Anand’s lead heroine for many films like House No 44, Nau Do Gyarah and Taxi Driver (1954). After delivering some hits, Kalpana married Dev and retired from films.

He was a simple at heart. He never had stylish cars, never had a huge birthday bash and no show offs. Dev Anand took keen interest in politics. He formed a party called National Party of India which he later dispersed. He was among the group of film personalities who stood up to the internal emergency imposed by then Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. In 1977, he actively campaigned against her with his supporters in the Lok Sabha.

He began his early career as he worked in the postal department of armed forces for a while. The actor was paid Rs 165 a month. His work was to read the letters that came for soldiers and censor any unwarranted information.

For Dev Anand, life in all shades was a festivity. Today, though he is not around, he still remains a dream hero with his peculiarity as well as eccentricity. His puffed hair style, a scarf around neck, drawl, the speech, the gait… all these made him what he was. Can brand Dev Anand ever be replaced? Certainly not.